ALMA MEDIA CORP.: NORDEA FLAGGING ABOUT CHANGE IN HOLDING

ALMA MEDIA CORP.    STOCK EXCHANGE ANNOUNCEMENT 2.3.2007, 15.45

 

 

 

 

ALMA MEDIA CORPORATION: NORDEA FLAGGING ABOUT CHANGE IN HOLDING

 

The company has received information to the effect that the holding of the share capital and votes of Alma Media Corporation by the Finnish subsidiary Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj of the Swedish Nordea Bank AB (publ), Swedish business ID code 516406-0120, has risen above 1/20 on March 1, 2007.

 

Nordea Bank AB (publ) is referring to its previous announcement (Alma Media’s announcement on February 20, 2007) on a change in its holding in Alma Media Corporation (business ID 1944757-4). The announcement concerned the share loan agreement by Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj (business ID 1680235-8) on February 16, 2007 whereby 4,453,000 shares of Alma Media Corporation were loaned to a third party on the value date February 20, 2007. The loan period was open. The share loan caused the holding of Nordea Pankki Oyj in Alma Media Corporation to fall below the 1/20 limit.

 

Nordea Bank AB (publ) is now announcing that the share loan agreement has expired and the loaned shares have been returned to Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj on March 1, 2007. Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj’s holding of the share capital and votes of Alma Media Corporation has risen above the 1/20 limit. Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj holds 4,881,412 Alma Media shares or 6.54% of the votes.

 

As announced previously, Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj has made forward contracts on Alma Media Corporation shares that mature in June 2007 and September 2007. After the expiry of these contracts in September 2007, Nordea Pankki Suomi Oyj’s holding will fall below the 1/20 limit.

 

Furthermore, Nordea Life Insurance Oy (business ID 0927072-8), a subsidiary of the Nordea group, owns 730,067 Alma Media shares, representing 0.98% of the share capital and votes.

 

Hence, Nordea group’s total current holding in Alma Media Corporation is 7.52%, but will fall below 1/20 as described above.

 

The share capital of Alma Media Corporation (business ID code 1944757-4) is 44,767,513.80 euros divided between 74,612,523 shares. The company has one share series. Each share carries one vote, and therefore the total number of votes is 74,612,523.

 

 

ALMA MEDIA CORPORATION

 

Nina Hedberg

Communications Officer,

substitute for Communications Manager

 

 

DISTRIBUTION: Helsinki Exchanges, principal media

 

 

Alma Media is a profitably growing and internationally expanding company that invests in the future of newspapers and the online media. Its best known products are Aamulehti, Iltalehti, Kauppalehti and Etuovi.com.

 

Net sales in 2006 totalled EUR 302 million and the operating margin was 16 %. The company’s share is listed in the Mid Cap segment of the OMX Nordic Exchange’s Nordic List, trading code ALN1V. More information at http://www.almamedia.fi/home